The Secret
by iam.mattevans
Summary: Everybody at Hogwarts knows Percy's dislike for Oliver Wood, though nobody knows why do the classmates loathe each other so much. What had happened between the two former friends? Warning of self-harm.
1. Chapter 1

Percy Weasley was bleeding. He had just shouted himself hoarse at some second-years who were attempting to duel in a school corridor with the result that he walked straight into a suit of armour. Now he felt a sharp pain on his forehead and could feel a trickle of blood on his face. He backed a few paces and examined the cut in the armour's reflection for a bit before tapping his wand at it.

"Episkey," he murmured and the cut sealed itself at once.

"Hi, Percy."

Rudy kids, he thought angrily as he turned around to see who was talking to him.

"Oh, hello, Ginny."

"You are bleeding," she pointed out, frowning at him.

"Not anymore," Percy replied grumpily, wiping the blood off his face with his sleeve. "It was nothing. What are you up to? I hope you didn't come here to duel like some of your classmates did earlier."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Those idiots? No, I've only been-"

"Looking hot, Weasley! Ten points to Gryffindor!"

Both Ginny and Percy turned around. It was Oliver Wood, broomstick in his hand and a smirk on his face. Percy froze, looking stern and angry.

"Keep talking to my sister like that, Wood, and I promise I will put you in detention during every Quidditch match this season," he hissed through gritted teeth.

Oliver ignored him and, shouldering his broomstick, disappeared through the front door and towards the Quidditch pitch.

"Why do you hate him so much?" Asked Ginny as she and her brother watch the Quidditch captain march away.

"I don't hate him," Percy spat, still looking angrier than the occasion warrantied. "Please tell me you don't fancy him," he suddenly turned to his sister. "He is such a prat, not interested in anything but the stupid quaffle. Just… keep liking Harry, okay? He's alright."

Ginny grinned, turning slightly pink, but didn't say anything.

"Anyway, I gotta go, I promised to meet Penny for breakfast and I'm already late. See you around," Percy added and headed into the Great Hall, leaving Ginny in the Entrance Hall still looking curiously after Oliver Wood.

Penelope was waiting for Percy at their usual spot at the Gryffindor table, reading The Daily Prophet over her bowl of porridge. She nodded slightly when Percy joined her, but continued to look into her paper.

"The Ministry really are a bunch of-" she suddenly stopped as she caught sight of Percy's face.

"You are covered in blood, Perce."

"Still? Stupid second-years," he grunted.

Penny took out her wand and flicked it silently towards Percy's face. The smeared blood vanished.

"Thanks." He reached for some toast and started buttering it.

"So, what are we up to today?"

"As if there were ever any question about that, Weasley. Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw in half an hour, and we are going to slaughter you."

"No chance," Percy swelled. "We have Potter, and we never lost a game since he joined the team. And," he stuffed the rest of his toast into his mouth, "Wood's an excellent keeper."

"Yes, you would know about that," Penelope sniggered.

"Shut it, Clearwater. I may not like him, but I still do care about Quidditch you know. So, ten galleons as usual?"

Penny agreed the the pre-arranged bet and they shook hands.

Mostly everybody at school thought that Percy and Penny were dating, and they were not refuting the rumour. It was true that Percy's first kiss was with Penny, but then, they were young and it was an experiment. Neither of them meant anything serious by it. They were best friends from the time they both started at Hogwarts, and now, in their seventh and last year, they knew more about each other than anybody else. The idea of them being together was ludicrous.

"I knew it!" Percy Weasley shouted later, as the Gryffindor Quidditch team hugged in mid air and then flew a winning circle round the pitch.

"Ten galleons to me, if you please," he grinned and stretched his hands towards Penelope, who grudgingly paid the lost bet. Percy sighed.

"They are going to be insufferable tonight, celebrating and partying all night. And we've got exams coming up, I need to concentrate on studying you know," he complained as they made their slow way back up to the school.

"You could join them, you know," said Penny. "Have a little fun for a change."

"What, listen to Wood's hundredth replay of the match and endless talk about tactics and stuff? I don't know where you learned about fun, Penny, but you seem to have missed a few crucial lessons."

They separated as they reached the upper floors, Penelope heading for the Ravenclaw tower and Percy for the Gryffindor one.

As he had predicted, the party was in full swing by the time he arrived into the common room. He grunted in annoyance as he sat down in a corner, prepared to start on his Astronomy homework.

"Truth… No, no, dare! Dare!" someone shouted, giggling.

"Alright. I dare you to… Toooo… Admit your undying love to this portrait of professor Snape."

Everybody fell about laughing as the former one proceeded to fulfil their task.

_Orion is a prominent constellation located on the celestial equator… _

"…and I promise to love you until…"

_…__and visible throughout the world. It is one of the most conspicuous and recognizable constellations…_

"with all my heart, professor Snape, will I forever cherish…"

_…__recognizable constellations in the night sky. It was named after Orion, a hunter in Greek mythology…_

Percy couldn't concentrate. He tried to read his textbook, but snippets of the conversation, shouting and laughter from the jolly people behind him were drifting in and out of his head, distracting him.

"Okay, my turn," said Alicia Spinnet, a chased on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. She sinned the bottle they were playing with, which stopped pointing at Fred.

"Truth or dare?"

"Definitely truth, I am NOT kissing George again," the twin said, throwing a disgusted look at his brother. "I mean, I love you and all, but everything has its limits, you twisted freaks."

"Truth it is," sniggered Alicia. "Tell us, Fred, do you and George ever swap dates?"

"Uhh, tough one. Yeah, we did it once, but unfortunately Angelina spotted us in an instance. It was fun while it lasted, though." The twins laughed, while Angelina threw a dirty look at them both.

Percy rubbed his temples and contemplated vaguely that he might just as well go to bed, there was simply no way he would get any work done in this environment. He closed his book and made to stand up, when something the others were saying caught his ear.

"Oliver!" Fred shouted, as the spinning bottle came to a stop pointing at the muscular form of the Quidditch captain. "Now, I think it is time you finally tell us - back me up, people, we all want to know - what happened between you and my dear older brother."

Percy froze where he stood.

"I mean," Fred continued, "why does he hate you so much? You used to be friends, didn't you? What did you do to him? Did you interrupt him while he was revising for an exam or something?"

Percy shot a quick warning look at Oliver Wood, who, almost involuntarily, looked back at him, taking a deep breath.

"Here, a fant," said Percy suddenly. He took of his t-shirt and threw it amidst the group of playing people. "He doesn't need to answer now, if I recall the rules correctly."

There was complete silence. He stood there, half naked and looking daggers at Fred. After a while, Percy added: "We promised not to talk about it." He shot a look at Oliver, who was now slouched in his chair looking pale, almost sheepish, and the rest of the room, all of whom were confusedly flicking their gaze between the two men.


	2. Chapter 2

When he gained the sanctuary of his empty dormitory, Percy sank onto his bed still wearing his trousers. He wasn't tired, but his head was spinning. He was angry at Fred for bringing up the thing he had so successfully kept at the back of his mind for nearly a year. If he was honest with himself, he really missed Oliver, but that wasn't going to change how things were between them. He had sworn to himself, had he not, that he would never, ever forgive him.

He slumped his pillow into a more comfortable shape and turned around to his other side. He had his pride, and that was that.

But Percy couldn't sleep. He took off his glasses and changed into his pyjamas then, but he still kept turning around in bed this way and that, and sleep just wouldn't come.

It was hours later when there was a noise of opening and closing the bedroom doors and Oliver Wood came in.

"I brought you your t-shirt back," he said.

Percy didn't respond, pretending to be asleep. He heard some shuffling on the other side of the room and thought Oliver was getting ready for bed, but then he felt the mattress on his own bed creak as somebody sat down.

"Perce," whispered the voice of Oliver Wood into the silence.

Nothing.

"Percy. Sorry for being a prat earlier."

Percy groaned and opened his eyes reluctantly. "You are always a prat. What do you want?"

Oliver chuckled. "You," he said, simply.

Percy's brain was foggy from hours of hanging somewhere halfway between sleep and consciousness. "Bugger off, Oliver," he muttered.

Oliver smiled slightly. It had been ages since Percy had actually used his first name. It felt nice.

"Had one too many butterbeers, I suppose, or got hit on the had by a bludger during that match while I wasn't looking?" Percy continued.

"No, but the game earlier got me thinking. I hate the way things are between us, Perce."

"Don't call me that."

"You didn't use to mind," said Oliver softly.

"Yeah? Well, a lot of things changed since then, if case you don't remember." Spat Percy.

Oliver shifted slightly in his seat. "I do remember, Percy. That's what I want to talk to you about. I wanted to say I was sorry."

"So I've heard." said Percy coldly.

"I miss you."

"Miss me? You should have thought of that before, shouldn't you? I'm not interested in your bleeding apologies, Wood. Now get off my bed so I can get back to sleep."

"Please," whispered Oliver, his voice breaking. "I need you. You mean the world to me. Please forgive me."

Percy sat up and for once looked directly into Oliver's face. The Quidditch captain looked close to tears.

"I will never forgive you." he said, finally. And with that, he turned away from his roommate, covering his head with his blanket.

The bed creaked again as Oliver rose to his feet and slowly made his way into his own bed. Percy could hear him sobbing, and it took all the self control he possessed not to go comfort him. He pressed his pillow over his ear in an attempt to mute the sound. He had made his choice after all. Some things simply could not be forgiven. And Percy wasn't a fool. If he gave Oliver another chance, what would prevent him doing the same thing again, saying those things that had changed everything between them? What would prevent him from breaking Percy into million little pieces just like he did then, if he knew he would be forgiven each time he did this? And in anyway, it was Oliver himself who told him so many years ago not to let other people walk all over him. And Percy hadn't. And he certainly wasn't going to give in now.

_Not even for Oliver, though? _A sly thought entered his mind.

_No. _He argued with himself. _Nothing gives him the right to treat me the way he did. Not even… _

But Percy didn't finish the thought and after a while sleep finally overtook him.


	3. Chapter 3

"God, you look dreadful," said Penny instead of morning greetings as she looked Percy up and down. "Was the party yesterday really so bad?"

"Good morning to you too," grunted Percy and set down beside her by the breakfast table in the Great Hall. "It's not the party," he added after a while, when Penelope continued to look questioningly at him. "It's him." And he told her all about the game of Spin the bottle and about the conversation he had with Oliver Wood afterwords in their dormitory.

"Oh," said Penny. "I thought he looked quite upset about something today."

They both looked at the other end of the Gryffindor table where Oliver Wood sat with a group of his teammates and stared moodily into his untouched bowl of cereal.

"You could just forgive him, you know," said Penny bluntly.

"Yeah, right, and have him flip out on me again the next time he loses a Quidditch match. Fat chance."

"He seems to really mean it, you know. That he is sorry. He really cares about you, Perce," Penelope persisted.

Percy snorted, but didn't say anything.

"I know you miss him."

"I don't miss him! Why would I miss somebody who treats me like I'm dirt on his shoes?"

Penny hesitated, but seemed to give up trying to persuade Percy for the day. "Suit yourself," she said, and with that, she rose and headed to the Entrance Hall and up the main staircase, leaving Percy looking bewildered.

Who was she to talk to him in such a way? It was his business. And at any rate, shouldn't she know better? It was her who had to calm him down after what had happened that night, after all. Did she wish to repeat the venue?

Percy looked up. The ceiling in the Great Hall was dark and stormy, with heavy veils of rain pouring down. He got to his feet and headed to the library, but changed his mind halfway there. He didn't feel like working. He couldn't. He wouldn't be able to concentrate anyway, his head full of what Penny had said.

Instead, he trailed off towards the prefects' bathroom, thinking vaguely he might as well take a bath and think things over in the hot water. Maybe it would help sort things out, because right now he felt nothing but chaos. He didn't understand anything. Penny, Oliver, or even his own feelings.

When he got to the bathroom, he muttered the password, Lotus, and entered. Percy was pleased it was empty. He didn't feel like company, be it only prefects, who at the very least knew how to behave themselves.

He proceeded to try few of the taps until he found his favourite and allowed the small pool fill with smokey looking thick white foamy water. He undressed and got into the bath, closing his eyes for a moment in appreciation of the warm feeling spreading through his body.

"Oh, hi," a voice sounded over his head. "I didn't think anyone would be here at this time."

Percy looked up, but there wasn't really any need for that. He would know the voice amongst thousands of others.

"What are _you_ doing in here? This is the prefects' bathroom." He said.

"I'm the Quidditch captain, Weasley. That gives me equal status with the prefects. Or the head girl and boy."

Percy didn't reply. Instead, he watched as Oliver took off his clothes and climbed into the pool, taking a few breast strokes before he came to thread the water near the opposite side.

"Sirius Black was spotted near Hogwarts, they say." Oliver broke the silence.

"Good. I hope he murders you."

The Quidditch player stared at Percy, his face set.

"You could at least stop with the open hostilities, you know. Be a bit friendlier."

Percy scoffed. "I've got no reason to be friends with you."

And memories suddenly started flooding Percy's mind. Memories of the match that had changed everything. It was raining, just like today, Percy remembered. Gryffindor had lost that day, and all he could think about was seeing Oliver, making sure he was alright, comforting him. It wasn't his fault, after all, but Percy knew how seriously the other man took his Quidditch matches.

"Calm down, Oliver, and sit down. You are making my head hurt. Besides, it's not like something too dreadful had happened. Gryffindor is still in chance for a win, as long as you don't forfeit the rest of the games."

Oliver was still wearing his Quidditch robes, wet and muddy from the rain outside. He was marching up and down their dormitory, distress clearly etched into his face.

"Not something dreadful, is it?" He shouted then. "I know you know nothing about Quidditch, Percy, so for fucks sake don't try to pretend like you understand the way I'm feeling."

"Oliver, please stop this. This is getting us nowhere. You know full well I care about you and-"

"Yeah, you do alright, and now the whole team knows as well. Why did you have to go running into the changing rooms after the match, huh, Percy? Or are you so thick you didn't realise people would notice this? Fred and George were giving me weird looks all through dinner!"

"I was only trying to make sure you were alright after the loss." Percy said, calmly.

"Yeah, right. Don't you care how this looks? Do you think I want people saying I'm a faggot like you?"

Percy froze.

"What did you just call me?"

"Percy, I'm sorry." All the fight suddenly went out of Oliver, as he watched the stern look on his boyfriend's face.

"You know what, Oliver? Fine, have it your way. We are done." Percy spat.

"Percy, no. Please, I didn't mean it. I'm so sorry. It was a mistake."

But Percy didn't back away. "A mistake? That was not a mistake, Oliver. We've made mistakes, plenty of them, but this is something different. It is way over the line." He took a long breath and continued.

"This is the end, you know? We are nothing than fighting lately anyway. I've had it to the limit. It's always about you, Oliver, you and your Quidditch, you and your precious reputation. If its so important to you, then go the whole way, pretend to be someone you are not, but don't ask me to stand by your side and support you in it. I can't be your man anymore. I doubt you ever wanted me to anyway. Just look at us! There's nothing on our side, not even you!"

Oliver stood there, his mouth slightly open as though to say something, but Percy wasn't finished.

"You've always cared more about your reputation that you did about me, didn't you? Tell you what, I'm walking away from all of this bullshit. Find a new one to fool, leave and don't look back, I won't follow, you can be sure of that!"

"Percy, don't…" Oliver whispered. "Please forgive me. I didn't mean to-"

"Call me a faggot?" Percy snorted. "Yes you did. Leave me alone, Oliver." He stormed out of their dormitory.

He had slept in the common room that night, not wanting to be anywhere near Oliver.

And that was it. Oliver had tried again and again to apologise, but Percy didn't listen. He didn't want to hear it, any of it. He meant what he had said - he'd had enough.

"I've got no reason to be friends with you." Percy repeated.

"No. I suppose you haven't." Said Oliver with a heavy voice.


	4. Chapter 4

The day did not improve as it progressed. Percy spent the rest of the afternoon in the library, trying to get some work done, but thoughts of the conversation he had with Oliver kept intruding into his thoughts.

Why was he bringing it up all of a sudden, a year after it had happened? Didn't they both go through enough? Percy certainly didn't need more things on his mind - they had exams coming up, and these would decide the rest of their wizarding careers. He also had his head boy duties. And Oliver had his own future to think about, even if he didn't want to focus on studying. Percy knew it was his dream to be a professional Quidditch player, and distracting himself with dwelling on the past or trying to prod in events best left alone certainly wasn't gonna help that. They've both went through enough pain from it all to wish for more. So why was Oliver bringing it all up again? Why now?

That night Percy was woken by shouting from some of the lower dormitories. He sat up in his bed and put on his glasses, put out. He could hear people running up and down the stairs and talking excitedly. What was going on?

He put on his slippers and descended into the common room, which was full of people.

"Who shouted?"

"What are you doing?"

The voices were saying.

"Are you sure you weren't dreaming, Ron?"

"I'm telling you, I saw him!" shouted his younger brother at Harry Potter.

"What's all the noise?" Some of the girls were woken by the noise too and they came rushing down the stairs still in their nightclothes.

"Excellent, are we carrying on?" said Fred Weasley.

"Everyone back upstairs!" Percy yelled over the babble of voices, pinning his head boy badge to his pyjamas.

"Perce…" his younger brother, Ron, approached him, looking ashened "Sirius Black. In our dormitory. With a knife. Woke me up."

The common room went very still.

"Nonsense," said Percy. "You had too much to eat, Ron. Had a nightmare."

"I'm telling you-"

But his brothers arguments were drowned by professor McGonagall climbing through the portrait into the common room.

"Percy, I expected better of you," she said reproachfully, looking around at the mayhem.

Percy puffed up his chest. "I certainly didn't authorise this, professor. I was just telling them all to go back to bed. My brother Ron here had a nightmare-"

"It wasn't a nightmare! Professor, I woke up and Sirius Black was standing over me holding a knife."

Professor McGonagall stared at him. "Don't be ridiculous, Weasley. How could he possibly have got through the portrait hole?"

They all stormed out to listen to professor McGonagall's conversation with ser Cadogan, who was the guardian to the Gryffindor tower. Percy looked around. He noticed Oliver wasn't there. He scoffed. At least somebody had enough sense not to go flying out of their bed at the first sound of a disturbance.

After professor McGonagall left the common room to look for Sirius Black with the other teachers, Percy made his way through the crowd to Ron.

"How are you, Ron? Are you alright? Did Sirius Black hurt you?" he asked, frantic, and slightly shook with his little brother, concern etched upon his face.

"Get off, I'm alright, Percy," Ron wriggled free of Percy's grip.

"I'm going to write to mother," said Percy. "You go back to bed, Ron, or… Or stay here with the others, but do not leave the Gryffindor tower, do you hear me? That goes for you two as well," he added towards Harry and Hermione, and he left for his dormitory. He was worried, and wanted to see Oliver. It was as though the night's events had wiped the memories of what had happened before then. All Percy wanted now was to see his best friend.

"What happened?" Asked Oliver the moment Percy entered their dormitory. He was sitting up in bed, bludgers flying here and there across his Quidditch themed pyjamas.

"Sirius Black is in the castle again," said Percy, slumping down onto his own bed. "He attacked my little brother, Ron."

"What?"

There was silence.

"Is he alright?" Oliver said after a while.

"Yeah, I think so. Black didn't really hurt him, he just slashed his curtains and frightened him."

"And are you alright, Weasley?"

Percy didn't know what to answer. He wasn't alright. His hands were shaking. If he was honest with himself, he was scared. He loved his family very much, even if they perhaps didn't always see it that way. And he felt it was his duty to protect them all. But he was failing. How come he let Ginny get abducted into the Chamber of Secrets last year? How come Sirius Black was attacking Ron?

"It's not your fault, Percy." Oliver said, looking at him quizzically.

Percy looked back at him. The Quidditch captain seemed seriously worried about him, a slight crease between his eyebrows. But for some reason, it only made Percy angry. He was regaining composure now, and he regretted talking to Oliver. They weren't friends, after all.

"I know," he said, simply. And then he grabbed some parchment and quill and headed back from the dormitory, leaving Oliver alone again.


	5. Chapter 5

When, in the morning, professor McGonagall came back into the common room and told them that Black had yet again escaped, Percy finished writing the letter to their mother and went up into the owlery. There he called Hermes to him and tied the letter to his leg.

"Get it to her quickly, so she doesn't worry," he whispered to his screech owl, petting him gently on his feathers.

Hermes nibbled him affectionately on his finger and took of, leaving behind a swirl of dust in the air.

Percy looked out of the window behind him. The sky was a murky shade of grey, but at least yesterday's storm had blown itself away.

"So, what's the story?" asked Penny when they were sitting next to each other in a Transfiguration class later. "Everybody's saying that Black got into the Gryffindor tower last night."

Percy nodded and relayed the story.

"It's odd, isn't it? What do you think he was after?" said Penny.

"Well, father thinks that he escaped from Azkaban to-"

"Weasley, Clearwater, will you pay attention?" snapped professor McGonagall. "I hope you don't mind me teaching and disturbing you in your conversation?"

"Sorry, professor," Penelope apologised hastily, and they felt silent.

"Now, Weasly, please take this pile of homework from last week and give them back to each student. You should all know that as your examinations are getting nearer I've graded you by NEWT standard."

Percy got up and started handing out the papers. He was not surprised by Penny's Outstanding, and pleased enough with his own Exceeds Expectations, but his heart sank as he reached for Oliver's essay and saw a big red D written across it. He handed it to Oliver, looking quizzical, but the Quidditch player didn't meet his gaze and quickly shoved the graded paper into his bag.

"Now, I am pleased to say the general level of this homework did improve from last time, however I did promise you I shall start giving out detentions to those people who get anything lover that a Poor. Wood, you would never have passed your exams this being your answer at the test. You really need to start put a lot more effort into your work. You will come to my office at five o'clock today to do your detention." said professor McGonagall.

Oliver had gotten a Dreadful? What was going on? He was never as good at his work as Percy or Penny, but this was way below his standard. Percy knew that when he put in a bit of an effort, he could easily get an Acceptable - how many nights did he spent studying with him and trying to help him get through all his work? So why was he now flanking his homework so much, especially if he now had to do a detention on top of all their school work they were getting these days?

Percy sat back down and tried to listen to what professor McGonagall was saying now, but he couldn't. His head was still so full of Oliver that Penny had to hiss at him a couple of times to pay attention.

"What is it with you? You didn't even take any notes during the lesson," said Penny when they headed for their lunch.

"Oh. Yeah, sorry. Can I borrow yours tonight so I can copy them?" Percy replied, sitting down at the Gryffindor table.

"Sure, but what-"

"I don't want to talk about it. Thanks."

Penny looked stunned. She took their plates and ladend them with steak and kidney pie, but Percy only looked moodily into his own, not feeling very hungry.

"Hey, Percy? Percy Weasley?" sounded a voice above their heads. "I'm Cedric Diggory, from Hufflepuff. Sixth year."

"Oh." Percy said, looking up. "Hi." He scrutinised the new arrival, recognising him as a captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team and a prefect whom he never spoke to before.

"I was wondering if I could borrow some of your notes from Herbology last year? I was in the hospital wing for a few weeks and I want to have good quality notes so I can study for the exams properly."

Percy just looked at him for a second before mentally shaking himself. "Right. Yeah, of course. I should have them somewhere in my trunk. Let me get them. Meet you here after dinner?"


	6. Chapter 6

When Percy got into the Gryffindor tower that night, he was exhausted. He spent some time with Diggory going over his notes to make sure he understood everything not wanting to mess up somebody's revision. It was late when he got back and he went straight into his dormitory. He expected Oliver to be there, not seeing him anywhere in the common room, but the bedroom was empty. It was a while before Percy remembered that Oliver, of course, had his detention with McGonagall tonight, and was probably going to get back late.

He changed and got into his bed, yawning. He felt asleep almost at one, his dreams disturbed mixture of failed exams.

He woke up with a start. It was still dark and the air smelled funny. He rubbed his temples, trying to regain some sense of himself. The lights were on in the joined bathroom, he noticed, and the door was ajar. There was complete silence.

"Oliver?" he called. There was no answer. He looked at his alarm clock. It was three in the morning.

"Oliver, is something the matter?" Percy got up and shuffled towards the bathroom. "Are you alri-"

The sight that met his eyes drew all signs of sleepiness away. Oliver Wood was sitting slumped on the floor, his back against the wall, a wand in his hand. He was still in his day clothes and his arms were covered with long cuts. Blood was oozing from them, forming a small puddle on the floor.

Percy swallowed, but his throat has gone completely dry.

"Oh, Ollie." He dropped onto his knees in front of his roommate, completely lost for words.

Oliver looked up at the sound of the old nickname. "Go away, Percy. Leave me alone."

Percy was terrified to hear how weak the brunet sounded.

"Did McGonagall keep you this long?" he managed to say. Stupid, he thought of himself. That was hardly the most important thing to talk about right now.

"She let me go about an hour ago." Oliver replied. "Diffindo," he added, almost absent mindedly, and pointed his wand at his arm. Percy watched in horror as another deep gush appeared on Oliver's forearm, right next to the others, and as blood dribbled down onto Percy's own pyjamas.

"Stop that." He wrestled Oliver's wand from him and placed it on top of the sink, where the other man could not reach it. "Let me heal you."

"No," Oliver said.

Percy looked at his former boyfriend, feeling as though something had broken inside him. He wanted to scream, he wanted to run away. But he didn't move. Instead, he asked: "What's wrong, Ollie? What happened?"

The Quidditch captain laughed, and Percy had never heard a less humorous sound. "What's not wrong? I just can't do this anymore… You hate me. I've just been given detention for a poor mark on a homework and I've got no chance in finishing the next one tonight, so I can just as well get ready for another detention tomorrow. I can't concentrate on anything, I will never pass my exams like this. And I've seen you today talking to Diggory, looking all flushed…" Oliver's ashened face glistened with fresh tears.

"I don't hate you," said Percy quietly. He gently stroked the other man's hair. Oliver looked at him, surprised.

"Are you jealous, Ollie?" Percy continued with a small smile. "I was only talking to Diggory because he wanted to borrow some notes. It's nothing else, I promise. And as for the detention, don't you worry about that. You can hand in my homework instead, I've already finished it."

"What, you want to be in detention instead of me?" Oliver scoffed.

"Yeah. It's not a problem, I'm alright. I can take it. I'm on top of all my work."

"You would do that for me?" Oliver said huskily. "Why?"

Percy hesitated. "Because I cannot watch you hurting yourself like this. It is shattering me, Ollie. You have no idea how much it hurts to see you like this…" Percy's voice broke.

"You are calling me Ollie again," Oliver smiled unsurely.

"Yeah," Percy smiled back. He took Oliver's hands in his own and kissed them.

The other man closed his eyes at the touch. "I really am so sorry for what happened that night," Oliver whispered. "I was an idiot. You were right with everything you said to me, you know. I did care too much about what other people thought. I was so scared. I was confused. I didn't know what to do, I didn't know who I was, and the things I was feeling terrified me. There wasn't a day since when I didn't regret saying those words to you."

Percy's heart was beating rather fast. He could feel Oliver's hands shaking in his own and he gripped them more tightly.

"No one has ever made me feel worse, you know," he said.

"Perce… I am so sorr-" Oliver started, but Percy interrupted him.

"But no one has ever made me happier, either," he finished with a small smile.

Oliver looked at him in surprise.

"I forgive you."

Oliver Wood's eyes widened. "Perce," he choked out. And Percy kissed him.

Oliver put his arms around Percy, smearing blood all over the the tall redhead, but neither of them cared. Percy felt as though electricity was going through his whole body. He had missed this. The smell of Oliver. The feeling of being in his arms.

"Now, can I heal your arms before you lose even more blood?" Percy asked when they broke apart.

Oliver shook his head. "Leave it. I don't care what anyone thinks anymore."

Percy scoffed. "There are better ways of making a stand." He reached for Oliver's wand from the sink and pointed it at one of the cuts on the man's arm. "Episkey."

The wound sealed itself at once. He repeated the process for each of the cuts in turn, until Oliver's arms looked maybe a bit redder at the places the cuts have been, but otherwise completely normal again, apart from the fact they were still covered in congealed blood.

"That's better. Now take off those clothes."

Oliver grinned. "I know you find me irresistible, Perce, but I don't think this is the right time for that, you know?"

"Very funny," grunted Percy as he helped Oliver out of his blood sodden t-shirt. "You go take a shower and I will clean up this mess."

Oliver obeyed, and Percy meanwhile mutely moved over the blots and smears on the floor with Oliver's wand, slowly vanishing them.

"I still think you should go to the hospital wing, Ollie. You need blood replenishing potion." Percy said as the Quidditch player left the shower and went to change into his pyjamas.

"I'm alright. Really. I just need some sleep."

"Well you should drink some water at the very least. And eat a proper meal tomorrow morning."

"Thanks, mom," Oliver laughed as he got into his bed.

"I'm serious, Ollie. I'm worried about you."

"Yeah. Okay. Thanks."

Percy went to his own bed and started rummaging in his trunk for some clean set of pyjamas, when Oliver broke the silence again.

"Perce? I'm cold."

Percy scoffed. "Of course you are. You've lost so much blood."

But he got to his feet and took his own blanket, laying it over Oliver. "Better?"

He noticed the other man was shivering. He lifted the blankets and, still only in his trunks, got into the bed with him. He placed and arm over Oliver's muscular figure and held him close, trying to warm him up with his own body heat.

"Better," Oliver said, finally. And with that, they both closed their eyes.

When Percy woke up, Oliver was sitting up in bed, a curious look on his face.

"What's up? Is everything alright?" Percy looked up, alarmed.

"Everything's fine. More than fine, actually. I was just watching you sleep. You looked so peaceful. Not as worried as you usually do." Oliver said, smiling.

"Oh." Percy didn't know what to reply. He just looked at Oliver and felt as though a hot balloon was swelling in his chest. He was happy. Really happy, for the first time in god knew how long.

"Perce?"

"Hmm?"

"Does your family know?" Oliver asked.

"Know what?"

"That you're gay."

"Yeah. They don't mind. Have you told your parents?"

"No. How do you even tell them something like that?"

"You don't. You just bring someone home one day and they will get it."

Oliver looked up. "You've brought someone home? I've never met your parents."

"No," Percy smiled. "But I've written to mother about you."

"You did?" Oliver said, surprised.

Percy chuckled. "Of course I did. I do tell her things, you know, and you were very important to me." He hesitated. "You still are."

Oliver hesitated. "If I'm being honest, I'm still scared about it. Scared of what people will say. All I've ever wanted was to play for England one day. And the league will never accept a gay player."

"And what are you doing to do about it? Isn't it time to change their bigoted rules? If nobody is going to stand up to them, nothing will ever change. They are used to walking all over people, but there is no need to stand back and make it easier."

Oliver laughed. "I've once heard your younger brother say the exact same phrase."

"Good to know he at least sometimes listens to what I say."

"Do you really think it will be okay?"

"Yeah. I really do. We have to fight those who say its something wrong. There is nothing wrong about this," Percy kissed Oliver gently on the lips. "There is nothing wrong about love."

"Love?" Oliver's voice was suddenly hoarse, as though something was restricting his windpipes. "Is it love what we have?"

"Definitely."

Oliver's smile was radiant.

"Should we go down for breakfast?" Percy asked after a while. "You need some food after what happened last night."

Oliver noded, and they changed into their robes.

"What if Fred and George are going to have stupid comments?" he asked.

"Kick them off the Gryffindor Quidditch team," Percy suggested. And finally, Oliver relaxed.

"Yeah, I could do that."

And, hand in hand, they left their dormitory.


End file.
